A credentials document spewing dinosaur. A giant vicious snail breathing loan-paralysis. A horny monster whose eyes freeze savings. Malaysia’s first digital bank, GXBank, is showing its un-bank-ness in a Tokusatsu-style battle against outdated financial barriers and banking processes.

The unexpected campaign, inspired by the larger-than-life heroes and city-shaking monsters of Japan’s Tokusatsu genre, calls on Malaysians to Gegar Sistem – to rise up and challenge the system – to take on legacy banking “monsters” with GXBank as their enabler.

‘Tokusatsu’ meaning ‘special effects’, is a genre defined by towering monsters, masked heroes and explosive, over-the-top storytelling, where the battles are intense, but change is always possible. This aligns perfectly with GXBank’s mission to use technology to disrupt the traditional banking sector, making high-quality financial services conveniently accessible so that every Malaysian can be financially resilient.

The campaign, Gegar Sistem (Challenge the System), consists of three films supported by digital out-of-home, social, digital and radio, all spotlighting key GXBank products.The films were created with director, Laura Low, from Out of Ordinary Films; production partner, Vision Machina; post-production studio, Post2Post; and audio house, TwoAM.

“With this campaign, we wanted to reframe everyday financial frustrations as something Malaysians can confront and overcome with the support of GXBank. Inspired by the TV shows many of us grew up with, like Ultraman and Kamen Rider, the ‘Tokusatsu’ genre gave us a powerful and familiar language to turn invisible barriers into villains that can be challenged with GXBank,” explained Benjamin Chua, senior copywriter at Publicis Groupe Malaysia.

 “The world was imagined by the team and brought to life with AI to overcome production constraints. Actors performed in a stripped-back studio using minimal physical markers, while AI was used to build out the universe, from environments and props to costumes, kaiju, supporting characters, motion graphics and voice work trained on the cast. This enabled a level of scale and stylisation that would have otherwise been out of reach,” Chua added.

“Gegar Sistem is our tribute to the everyday Malaysian. Our products are intentionally built to solve real friction in traditional finance, giving our customers the ‘Henshin’ moment they deserve. Seeing our purpose brought to life by the team through the lens of Tokusatsu and innovative filmmaking is exciting. This isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s a celebration of the Malaysian spirit, and proving that with the right tools, anyone can conquer their giants and achieve their financial freedom,” commented Hildah Hamzah, deputy CEO & COO, GXBank.

The films introduce the campaign’s rallying cry, Tak Suka, Ubah Je (Hate it, change it), a call to action for Malaysians to start taking control of their finances.

Credits:
Client: GXBank
Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer: Hildah Hamzah
Regional Head of Marketing, Financial Services: Pamela Chia
Head of Marketing: Yan Han Yeap
Senior Communications Manager: Regina Robin
Brand & Marketing Specialist: Soon Weng Chin

Agency: Publicis Groupe Malaysia
Chief Creative Officer: Emir Shafri 
Creative Director: James Yap
Creative Group Head: Yuee Tong
Art Director: IC Liew
Senior Copywriter: Benjamin Chua
Copywriter: Alif Nazmi
Designer: Alis Azli
Client Partner: Lee Poh Li
Associate Account Director: Michelle Chang
Account Executive: Dorcas Wee
Chief Strategy Officer: Andrew Michau
Strategic Planning Director: Jia Ying Chew
Associate Strategic Planning Director: Vhinasyhah Raja Gopal
Head of Production: Nisha Khirudin
Producer: San Wong

Production Company: Out of Ordinary Films
Director: Laura Low
Executive Producer: Charlotte Yeo
Producer: Dest Kim

Generative Technology Studio: Vision Machina
Post Production House: Post2Post
Audio House: TwoAM